Haddad 56, Serra 44, PT Organisation 0

I went to see Fernando Haddad celebrate his election in Sao Paulo last night and I came away with one sincere wish – that his government is better organised than his victory party.

The event at the Intercontinental Hotel was among the worst organised I’ve ever been to and a slap in the face to the party faithful who were prevented from seeing him give his victory speech because Workers’ Party ‘organisers’ placed banks of TV cameras in front of them.

There was no room for journalists, who were so tightly packed into spaces at the side of the hall that one woman fainted.

The sound system was poor and the noise from the party faithful – who, unable to see the event they had worked so hard to make happen, chatted away over his speech – made it hard to hear.

Anyone who’s ever been to a major event knows how to set up something like this. TV cameras at the very back on a raised platform. Seats for the press in front of them. If there are dignitaries, like there were yesterday, they sit closest to the stage.

It’s not rocket science.

The most depressing thing about this isn’t only the lack of respect shown to so many people. (The only ones treated halfway decent were party big-wigs and allies such as Paulo Maluf who sat out front.)

It is that no one ever seems to learn. These people must have been to big events before, they must have seen other people organise such things competently. How hard is it to take that on board?

One of the reasons Haddad won the election was because Paulistanas are sick and tired of the incompetency, arrogance and lack of respect shown by current Mayor Gilberto Kassab. They desire a city that is functioning, equitable, clean and well run.

Haddad campaigned on a platform of Change and his slogan last night was “The Future Won.”

The victory party was an embarrassment. If that is the kind of organisation we get from his government, we’re in for a rough four years.